[Verse 2]
She said: "Nigga, you got some nerve
To come up to me talkin' about abortion
This my body, nigga, so don't think you finna force shit!See, I knew that this is how you act, so typical
Said you love me, oh, but now you flippin' like reciprocals
It figures though, I should've known
That you was just another nigga
No different from them other niggas
Who be claimin' that they love you just to get up in them drawers
Knowin' all the right things to sayI let you hit it raw, mothafucka!
Now I'm pregnant, you don't wanna get involved, mothafucka?Tryna take away a life—is you God, mothafucka?!
I don't think so! This a new life up in my stomach
Regardless if I'm your wife, this new life here, I'ma love it
I ain't budgin', I just do this by my mothafuckin' self
See, my mama raised me without no mothafuckin' help
From a man, but I still don't understand how you could say that
Did you forget all those conversations that we had way back
'Bout your father? And you told me that you hate that nigga
Talkin' about he a coward and you so glad that you ain't that nigga
‘Cause he left your mama when she had you and he ain't shit
And here you go doin' the same shit… You ain't shit, nigga!"

About “Lost Ones”

“Lost Ones” is a dialogue between a young couple who’ve just discovered the girl is pregnant. Exploring the whirlwind of thoughts and emotion that follow this revelation, Cole adds depth to the narrative by having each verse from a different perspective; the man’s, the woman’s, and a neutral standpoint.

Lost Ones,“ that’s one of my favorite songs. Because obviously, when you listen to it, it’s super emotional, super deep. I feel like my favorite records of my own are my favorite because they really hit your heart or I know the impact it’ll have on people.

The music video, which was released October 25, 2011, featured an opening disclaimer reading:

With just a Dollar and a Dream, this video was shot in 2008 before I even had a record deal. 3 years later, watching it still give me the same emotions. This is dedicated to the Lost Ones. — Jermaine Cole

In 2014, a DJ Booth writer Kevin Taylor wrote an article about “Lost Ones,” admitting that it gave him “the reality check of a lifetime,” even going on to dub it “a conscious music masterpiece.” A blogger, Jane, wrote a critical analysis of the song in reply to Kevin’s article.

What have the artists said about the song?

A song with dealing with young pregnancy, when you’re around that age of either late teens or early 20s or whatever age you are, it explores all of that from both sides… That’s one of my favorites, and I’ve been holding on to that song for like four years, just waiting for this album to come out.
— J. Cole, via Billboard

Additionally, J Cole added a statement at the beginning of his music video.

With just a Dollar and a Dream, this video was shot in 2008 before I even had a record deal. 3 years later, watching it still gives me the same emotions. This is dedicated to the Lost Ones.

Is this song based on a true event?

“Lost Ones,” that’s one of my favorite songs. Because obviously, when you listen to it, it’s super emotional, super deep. I feel like my favorite records of my own are my favorite because they really hit your heart or I know the impact it’ll have on people. This is a scene that happens every day in America. When the idea came to me, it was because of something personal that was going on. Not even with me… with a very close friend of mine. So it gave me the idea to write that song.